flashbulb memory

Meaning: A flashbulb memory is a vivid memory of where you were, what you were doing, and who was with you when you heard shocking news, such as a national tragedy or a personal crisis. Strong emotional arousal engages the amygdala, which influences the hippocampus and strengthens encoding and consolidation. Repeated retelling and media coverage add rehearsal, which can make the memory feel even sharper. It is usually classed as an explicit (episodic) memory.

On the MCAT: A passage may describe people recalling where they were during a major public event, then ask you to link the memory to the amygdala and hippocampus, or to explain why emotion enhances memory. Another common setup is a graph in which participants report the event soon afterward and again months later. The usual finding is that accuracy of details declines over time while confidence stays high.

Common confusion: Students assume that a vivid, confident memory must be accurate, as if it were a photograph. It is not. Flashbulb memories are reconstructed like other memories, so details can be lost, changed, or contaminated by later information (the misinformation effect). Vividness and confidence show how the memory feels, not how accurate it is.